Heavy rain damages school, shops; roads shut in Chamoli

Dehradun: Heavy rain caused damage in parts of Chamoli district, with mud and debris entering a govt school and several shops, while a stretch of the national highway was blocked in Narayanbagad, officials said on Friday.The worst-affected area was Narayanbagad block headquarters, where an overnight downpour triggered a flow of water and debris from a forested area behind the Govt Inter College (GIC) campus.The flow breached the walls of three classrooms and entered the school hostel and campus. The school office, principal’s office and other parts of the premises were inundated with mud, debris and rainwater, causing damage to infrastructure.A drain between the inter-college and a nearby hospital overflowed during the downpour, sending debris onto the national highway. Around a dozen shops in the adjoining market area were filled with mud and debris, while several two-wheelers and light motor vehicles parked nearby were partially buried.Few roads in the village remained blocked through the night, leaving vehicles stranded on both sides of Narayanbagad market.

Border Roads Organisation personnel used excavators to clear the debris, and traffic resumed on Friday morning.“There have been no reports of casualties or injuries. Local authorities responded promptly, and restoration work was carried out to clear the affected areas and restore movement,” said Nand Kishore Joshi, district disaster management officer, Chamoli.In a separate incident, heavy rain caused waterlogging in Gauchar town. Several shops were inundated after water and debris entered commercial establishments. Shopkeepers and local residents spent Friday morning clearing mud and debris from their premises.